


For Better or Worse

by DarkWynn



Series: Dreams and Vows [3]
Category: Rosario + Vampire
Genre: Action/Adventure, Canon-Typical Violence, Multi, Polyamory, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-24
Updated: 2018-09-08
Packaged: 2019-07-01 19:01:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 14,930
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15780168
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarkWynn/pseuds/DarkWynn
Summary: Another Lesson: Conflict – When a war between student organizations threatens to break out at your school, the best thing to do is:A. Give peace a chance.B. Hunt down those responsible for starting the trouble.C. Go down fighting.





	1. ‘Truce’

**_Rosario + Vampire_ **

**For Better or Worse**

**Chapter 1**

**_‘Truce’_ **

 

     The fighting never ended.

     “You're not getting away that easily!”

     “Stop butting in on my time alone with Tsukune!”

     Just moments before, the woods surrounding the house on the hilltop had been all but silent, a chill evening wind slipping through the branches towards the open air around the Resting Place. The sun had gotten lost behind the hills hours before, and the rising moon was barely bright enough to penetrate through the tangled limbs of the trees around the two-story house.  Despite this, the sound of a pitched battle shattered the quiet as broken branches collapsed to the earth and defiant battle cries echoed off the mountains.

     “I can’t believe you would do that!”

     “You’re just mad because I did it first!”

     From the relative safety of the yard, a young man stood as a concerned spectator to the struggle taking place at the forest’s edge, his cries for peace either not heard or ignored by the two girls battling amidst the shadows of the trees.  He was at the heart of their conflict, whether he liked it or not, yet nothing he could do would make them stop now.  No, he could only watch, and pray that they wouldn’t hurt each other, or the surroundings, too much.

     “Sneaking into his bathroom, Mizore?  That’s low!”

      The blue-haired girl sneered down at her opponent as her bat-like wings flapped swiftly, carrying her skyward as she tracked her rival’s movements.  Tensing, she dove towards the earth, her hands held out at her sides.  With her fingernails extended like foot-long blades, she slashed down at the other girl, one hand tearing a furrow in the earth while the other bit deeply into a tree that had been unfortunate enough to be nearby.  Her attack foiled, the succubus rose back into the air, her spade-tipped tail waving behind her as she glanced back with violet eyes gleaming.

     “I just thought he might want someone to wash his back.  Not my fault you were busy still stuffing your face, Kurumu.”

     As the wounded tree groaned and twisted, sinking to the earth, the other girl abandoned her cover to counterattack.  Her soft purple hair gleamed like an aurora in the moonlight, as did her pale blue eyes, which held the inexorable fury of a snowstorm.  The yuki-onna waved her arms in the direction of the succubus, and spears of ice lanced towards her flying enemy, shredding through leaves and limbs in pursuit of the succubus.  Gnawing on the stick of her lollipop in frustration as her projectiles narrowly missed the other girl’s wings, she turned to once more seek cover in the trees, choosing stealth over a direct assault.

     “Come on, stop it, you two!”

     Standing just outside the Resting Place, Tsukune Aono winced as he watched Kurumu swing back for another vicious dive.  This was all his fault, he knew, though he was having a great deal of difficulty figuring out exactly what he could have done differently.  Perhaps, at dinner, he shouldn’t have announced his intention to go take an early bath, or maybe he should have paid more attention as Mizore had slipped upstairs as soon as she was done eating.  Or, perhaps he should have checked the bathroom thoroughly before beginning to undress, since this scenario was not entirely unfamiliar to him.  Maybe he even should have tried not to shout so loudly when Mizore had emerged from beneath the waters of the tub, an eager smile on her lips and a hungry gleam in her eyes.  The sound of his shocked cry had managed to draw Kurumu’s attention, and from there…

     Another tree died in splinters as a massive frozen fist rose from the earth to swing at Kurumu, who only just managed to spring out of its path.  Dark enthusiasm in her eyes, the succubus rolled in the air gracefully, leveling her wings for another swoop through the trees at her rival.  A resounding crash announced another near miss as she rose into the air once more, icy shards slicing through the sky around her.

     Two years ago, this situation would have seemed outlandish to Tsukune: he had always been an average guy, in a painfully literal way.  Even after he had somehow ended up in a school for monsters, he had never imagined that he could survive this long, and had nearly been proven right many times.  However, he had gained so much: confidence, purpose, and dear friends.  Of course, some of them had always wanted to be more than friends…

     “Tsukune?”

     He turned at the sound of the voice behind him, his eyes widening as he saw Moka Akashiya standing in the doorway.  She was absolutely beautiful: her silver hair swayed in the gentle breeze, and her crimson eyes seemed to glow with a light of their own as she gazed at him, her slim arms crossed her chest in a gesture that bespoke her challenging impatience.  At her neck she wore a silver cross, the rosario that sealed her true nature, and wrapped around her waist was the only object that could overcome that seal: the metal-studded whip Belmont, a magic-cancelling artifact.  With her full lips slightly parted, her elongated incisors gleamed in the moonlight, and Tsukune felt a faint twinge at the side of his neck as he remembered the all-too-familiar sensation of those fangs sinking into his skin. 

     “You promised my other half that you would come to my room after your bath to… sate my thirst.” The faintest hint of warmth in her cheeks contrasted with the coldness of her voice, and she stared at him questioningly. “Why are you out here?”

     “Ah…” Tsukune glanced towards the forest helplessly, unwilling to leave the other two girls to their combat.  At the least, the surroundings would suffer even more if they were left to fight to exhaustion.  He had to stop them, somehow, especially since he was the reason they were fighting.

     He still couldn’t believe how much things had changed for him recently.  Only weeks ago, he had been at the heart of a bitter struggle between three of his closest friends.  Moka Akashiya, Kurumu Kurono, and Mizore Shirayuki had all declared their love for him, but he had been unable to answer their feelings.  It was only after their struggle with a nightmare-controlling monster, Mori Retsu, that they had been sent here to this house, and things had grown even more complicated.  Tsukune had come to learn that he loved all three of the girls, and that had frustrated his every attempt to choose between them.  In the end, after they had defeated yet another monster sent to destroy each of them, Tsukune had finally admitted the truth of his feelings to the girls.  After that, they had come to an… unusual decision, the girls choosing to share him rather than risk losing him entirely.

     It should have been the end of their fighting.  After all, they each got to have time with him, time that never went to waste.  Still, they felt compelled to compete with each other, as if it had become second nature to them.  Always pushing boundaries, always wanting more; they thrilled and worried him, and he loved their antics as much as he feared them.  They might always fight, he had realized, but that hardly made times like this any easier.

     “I see.” Moka stared into the forest, a sharp smile on her lips. “So, until they stop, you’ll be distracted, right?” The irritation in her voice did not escape him, even as he hesitantly nodded.  Her smile grew, and Tsukune could feel her monstrous power surge in anticipation. “Very well then.  I guess I’ll have to put an end to it.” She stepped towards the forest, ignoring his cries to wait.

     As their time at the Resting Place had drawn nearer to its end, the girls’ antics had only grown more desperate.  Soon, they would have to return to Yokai Academy, and their chances to be alone with Tsukune would be far more infrequent.  In truth, Tsukune was glad that they had gotten as long here as they had: the ominous Headmaster of Yokai Academy had given them several extra days there as a ‘vacation,’ his way of thanking them for their part in defeating a monster that had threatened the Academy.  A few days of peace and quiet, all in exchange for risking their lives and fighting against a creature ripped from their worst nightmares; it hardly seemed fair, but Tsukune was getting used to exchanges like that.

     “M-Moka!  What are you-!”

     “Hey, stay out of this, you don’t-!”

     Tsukune winced as yet another tree met its demise, and a flock of birds rose into the air in a panic.  Instead of ending the fight, Moka’s entrance had only served to make it that much worse.  Sighing, Tsukune turned and walked towards the Resting Place, deciding to go in and wait for the girls to drag themselves back when they were finished.  He smiled wearily and closed the door behind him, the obstruction almost being enough to deaden to sounds of the combat raging outside.

     So much for peace and quiet. 

 

******

 

     Night had claimed Yokai Academy, and only one room dared to defy its iron grip.  Deep within the heart of the main building candlelight danced along the walls, silently watching the game taking place on the table in the room’s center.  The sole inhabitant of this forgotten place smiled to himself, one gloved hand reaching out to seize one of the pale pieces.  Finally, he knew exactly what to do.

     Hours ago, the aides and guardians who served the Headmaster of Yokai Academy had been dismissed to their slumber, certain that their master was soon to follow.  Eventually he would have to retire, he knew; he could not risk overextending himself, not now.  Still, he had needed a while to think, to let himself sort out all the rogue thoughts that flitted around him.  Time was a resource he cherished, but even this had its value.

     And so he had come to this chamber, which only his closest advisors knew of.  Not that there was anything of overt value within the room, as the furnishings were spartan even by his standards: only a simple, albeit sturdy, wooden desk and a plain wooden chair.  Atop the desk, however, were items of some note, specifically a trio of chessboards, each detailed in different ways.  The one on the right looked to have been carved from black stone, and elaborate scrollwork and Chinese characters decorated its base.  To the left was a board made from a red wood, and red soldiers clashed with white ones atop its surface.  That board had been covered with a glass top, and the dust that coated that protective ward spoke of the years that had passed since it had been moved.

     It was the final board that the Headmaster sat before, his glowing eyes narrowed as he second-guessed himself one final time.  This board was white marble, and atop it grey pieces dueled opponents of only a slightly darker shade.  Finally satisfied, the lord of the academy moved his piece into place, sitting back and nodding to himself.  Perfect.  Now… He reached out to toggle the switch before the chessboard, hearing the click as the brake disengaged.

     He only allowed himself to play against challengers who stood a fair chance against him, and those were few and far between.  Correspondence between he and the others had always taken too long, so he had been forced to find an opponent closer to home.  It had taken some time to get accustomed to playing this most devious enemy, but he had come to enjoy it.  Smiling darkly, he reached out to turn the chessboard around, already thinking about his next move.

     The nigh-silent ‘click’ of the door drew him up short, and he allowed himself to settle back into the chair as he templed his fingers before him.  His guest was not entirely unexpected, but even the Headmaster was forced to concede a certain amount of curiosity about how this exchange would end.  After all, it had been so long since they had seen each other...

     “Hell-King Mikogami,” Death said as he stepped into the candlelight. “How good to see you again.”

     “Ah?” The Headmaster smiled beneath his cowl. “Good that I am still alive, or good that you are back to yourself to see me?”

     The dark-haired man stepped closer to the table, a corpse-warm smile on his lips. “Both.  After all, how else would I get the pleasure of killing you myself?”

     “And is that the purpose of this visit?”

     Death chuckled, glancing away from the Headmaster’s face, down towards the table. “Hardly.  I much prefer to savor such things; I leave the brawling to my subordinates.”

     “Ah, yes, your dearest friends.  How are they doing these days?” The wry tone to the Hell-King’s words implied that he knew far more than he should, which did little to surprise the other man.

     “You could always ask them yourself.  They are nearby, of course,” Death conceded, his eyes wandering the game board. “Just waiting for the chance to be loosed upon this school.  So many targets, so many warm bodies to be rent and crushed.”

     The candles dimmed slightly, as if responding to the narrowed eyes of the Hell-King. “So that is why you brought them here?  A celebratory carnage?”  He shook his cowled head slowly, his smile regaining its edge. “You wouldn’t do that.  Not until you’ve gotten what you want.”

     “And you know what that is?” Death turned his black eyes up towards the man in the robes. “You always were a dangerous one, old man.  That accursed sword was your doing, wasn’t it?”

     “I was responsible for the _Lux Aeterna_ finding the right hands to wield it, yes.” His smirk growing, the cowled man let his eyes drop down to the other’s chest. “Tell me: do you still bear that wound, Khro-”

     “Come now, what are such names between beings like us?” Death snapped irritably.  His smile quickly resumed its place, and he reached down to grasp one of the darker pieces on the game board. “Too dangerous to be allowed to do as you like.  It’s best that you leave this game, for now.” He moved the piece forward, knocking down the paler piece that had occupied its new home. “You and I… we’re like kings.  The symbol of the player, the key to the game…”

     “Yet vulnerable?” The Hell-King looked up at the other man, cold mirth in his gaze. “The ritual you failed so long ago in your attempt to safeguard your soul completely; how much did it leave you weakened?”

     “How much, indeed.” Death grinned as he leaned slightly closer, his pale teeth gleaming in the flickering light. “You don’t know, and I am not about to tell you.  On the other hand, I never got the chance to face you directly, so I don’t know how much power you can wield against me.  That is why I’ve come to visit, actually.”

     “Oh?”

     “Yes.  While I would probably enjoy a direct confrontation against you more than I implied earlier, a clash that would tear this place and all that live within it to tatters, I think it wisest to take things slowly.  To enjoy the game, as it were.” 

     “And what do you suggest to that end?” The Headmaster stood from his seat, staring evenly into the eyes of Death.

     “That we both abstain from directly involving ourselves in what is to come.  As long as you don’t interfere, I’ll restrain myself from any urges that would end in open slaughter.  Likewise, you can trust that I will leave the fighting to my subordinates, pieces that are slightly more…” His ebon eyes fell upon the toppled piece on the board between them. “Expendable.”

     At this, the Headmaster fell silent for a long moment, his eyes falling to the chessboard.  Though it was all but imperceptible, his lips curled slightly, and his eyes seemed to gleam all the brighter in the flickering candlelight. “And what pieces am I to play with, then?”

     “Oh, come now.  You have never lacked for pawns.” Shaking his head, Death turned away from the desk, raising one hand over his shoulder in a silent farewell. “Take for example… Tsukune Aono and his friends.  I eagerly anticipate your next move, Hell-King.”  And with those words, the shadows reached out to embrace him, and he was gone.       

     The Headmaster sat still in the silence for long minutes afterwards, staring forward with a statue’s intensity.  Almost absent-mindedly, he reached up to complete the motion he had begun earlier, grasping the edge of the chessboard and pivoting it around.  Now, he sat behind the darker pieces, and he gazed down at the board, reexamining the field.  His eyes lingered on the piece that Death had moved, peering at it as if trying to see into the mind of the one who had moved it.

     Finally, he grinned to himself, one gloved hand reaching up to rub his smooth chin.  Perhaps this was for the best.  Chuckling in the flickering light, the Headmaster stood up from the board, reaching out to take up one of the candles as he made his way towards the rest, blowing them out one at a time.  Moving towards the door, he left the chessboard as it was, not bothering to replace the pieces Death had touched.     

     It had been the move he would have made, anyways. 


	2. Secrets to Keep

**Chapter 2**

**_Secrets to Keep_ **

“Now is the time to speak out!”

     Once more, a roar of approval erupted from the crowd milling before the hastily-constructed platform, fists rising towards the sky in enthusiastic fury.  Many of those in the front shouted encouragement to the speaker, their words inaudible in the chaos but their emotions plainly visible.  Even though the man had only been talking for a couple of minutes, already the group of listeners had swollen to dozens strong, and with every word more wandered across the open field from the school to hear his speech.

     “Fellow students, fellow _monsters_ ,” the teen started again, his voice ringing out over the mass despite the clamor, “too long we have been forced to live lies.  How long must we deny our proud heritages in the name of a false peace?  How long must we hide who we are to appease those who would see us subjugated, enslaved, or worse?”  He extended his arm behind him, motioning to the banner stretched above his head. “How long must we sacrifice our identities in order to preserve this forced ‘cohabitation’ with humans?”

     As the cries rose again to a fevered pitch, the speaker leaned back from the podium.  He used the slight pause to raise two gloved fingers to the bridge of his nose, pressing the black wire nosepiece of his thick glasses back against his face.  The wind tousled his light brown hair, and he unconsciously reached up to smooth it before surreptitiously readjusting the rust-colored sash he wore diagonally over his uniform.  As the furor calmed, he looked over the crowd, trying to meet every eye he could, planting his audience firmly in place.

     “ _We_ have had enough.  We have grown tired of being kept quiet, of being chained to a secret.  We know that there is no reason to serve humanity any longer.  After all, are they stronger than us?  More gifted?” The resounding cries of ‘No!’ fueled the grim smile the speaker wore, and he nodded as if congratulating his audience on their conclusion. “No, of course not.  The only advantage they have over us is numbers.  Their sweeping tides of mediocrity have forced us to be silent, but no more!” His voice grew impassioned as he uttered the last words, drawing a supportive cheer from those before him.

    At the edges of the crowd, a small figure fought to find a place from which she could catch a clear view of the speaker, unsuccessfully trying to force herself into the milling press.  Reaching up to adjust her pointed hat with the hand holding her pencil, the young girl sighed in frustration, restraining the urge to whip out her wand and find an easier way of clearing a path.  One of the students in front of her shifted, bumping into her without glancing back, and she squeaked as the collision sent her notepad falling to the earth.

     “And that is why we invite you to join us,” the young man atop the platform continued, extending his hands to either side. “We are monsters united for a common cause, for a shared dream.  We are monsters united, and we ask that you stand beside us.”  Over his head, the rust-red banner billowed in the wind, its crimson letters reading ‘Monsters United to Negate Cohabitation with Humanity.’  The same words were on the fliers that were held by the two girls standing on either end of the platform, and as the speaker uttered that final phrase they stepped forward, extending the papers towards those in the front of the crowd.  Those fliers were quickly taken, but the two girls held stacks of copies under their arms, smoothly feeding them to the hungry hands reaching in their direction.

     Even as the speaker stepped back from the podium, his part in the gathering done, others worked to end the quiet.  Many shouted for more, or screamed their own support for his opinions.  “Death to humans!” bellowed one powerful voice, and soon several others took up that cry as the speaker stood still atop the platform, his face perfectly blank of emotion.  His encouragement was unnecessary at this point, however, and soon those words echoed off the walls of Yokai Academy, drawing fearful glances from the students walking towards the dorms.

     At the back of the crowd, Yukari Sendo shook her head, a concerned grimace on her face.  This was not good, she knew; this was the third gathering this week, and each of them had only gotten bigger and louder, the crowds growing angrier each time.  So far, the faculty had yet to intervene, and appeals to the administration had fallen on deaf ears.  If things kept up like this…

     Yukari clenched her pencil tightly, scribbling down notes.  They would have to say something about this in the newspaper, of course, but more importantly she wanted to get the information to Gin and Kokoa.  Maybe they could think of something they could do to keep the situation from going out of control.  Still, so many of the students were getting involved that calming this turmoil would not be easy, especially for three of them.

     Yukari paused, glancing skyward.  For not the first time over the past few days, the faces of Tsukune, Moka, Kurumu, and Mizore flashed through her mind.  If they were back at school, maybe the Newspaper Club would be able to take more definite action, maybe even find out what was behind the recent rise in bitterness and anger among the students.  Ruby had told her that they would be returning that day or the next, unless something changed.  Still… Yukari winced as some of the students even at the back of the crowd began to shout out their vehemence.

     “Kill them all!”

     “Let’s eat the humans!”

     Tsukune and the others would be back tomorrow at the latest, she reminded herself, worry painted across her young face.  She just hoped it would be soon enough.   

 

******

 

     “That’s the last of them.”

     Tsukune sighed in relief, swiping a hand across his brow.  He chuckled as he looked down at the mountain of boxes sitting on the driveway outside the Resting Place.  Some of them were obviously struggling to contain their contents, the hastily crisscrossed tape at their mouths no doubt guilty breaking several laws of physics. “Kurumu, did you manage to get that much more stuff while we were here?”

     “Only a little,” the succubus fibbed, glancing away from him with a faint blush across her cheeks. “There were the outfits we bought, and some magazines, and… well, never mind that.”  She turned towards Tsukune with a growing smile, laying one hand on his arm. “Thank you so much for helping me carry all of that out here.  It would have taken me forever to do it alone.”

     “Oh, it wasn’t a problem,” Tsukune yielded, noticing that Kurumu had drawn closer to him, her chest beginning to press against his as she leaned towards his face. “I, ah…”

     “Haven’t you made him tired enough?” demanded a voice from behind them, drawing Kurumu up short as Tsukune hastily straightened, a chill sprinting up his spine.  They both glanced towards the speaker, discovering Mizore standing a few feet away, her arms crossed in front of her as she glared an accusation at the succubus.

     “It wasn’t that much!” Kurumu protested, stepping between the snow maiden and one stack of the boxes as if trying to hide them from sight. “Anyways, Tsukune told me he wouldn’t mind the exercise.”

     “I meant all of the energy you drained from him last night,” Mizore clarified, making Tsukune pale all the more. “He doesn’t need you kissing him more, if he’s going to be able to carry his own stuff back into his dorm room.  Let alone…” She waved dismissively towards the heaps that Kurumu could not manage to camouflage.

     “I wasn’t going to drain him that much!  I’m working on holding my powers back!”

     “Poor Tsukune.” The yuki-onna ignored her friend, instead focusing her attention on the boy before her, stepping close enough to run her fingers up his chest. “Between Moka sucking on your blood, and her draining your spiritual energy, you must feel horrible.  If you would just spend your time with me instead…” Her violet eyes staring up into Tsukune’s as her hand rested on his shoulder, Mizore effortlessly held him in place as she came ever-closer to his face.

     “Ahem!” This time, it was Mizore who momentarily froze, a look of open irritation passing across her face before she turned to face the other newcomer.  Moka stood only a few feet away, lowering her own stuff to the ground as she frowned at the snow maiden.  When Mizore met her eyes Moka motioned towards the house with a sharp shake of her head, giving the snow maiden just long enough to smoothly slip away from Tsukune before two other people emerged from the open doorway.  Mizore quickly composed her face, though Tsukune had a tad more difficulty doing the same, a bead of sweat racing down his temple as he smiled at the two adults leaving the house and walking towards them.

     “That should be all of it,” the man boomed, his face set in a cracking smile that revealed his bittersweet feelings about their impending parting.

     “I double-checked all of your rooms for you, and it looks like you have all of your belongings.  If we find anything of yours, we’ll send it to you through the Hellmaw,” the woman reassured them, a sweet smile on her face that decayed only when she glanced away from Tsukune towards any of the three girls around him.  Only then did the dark gleam enter her eyes, a palpable aura of menace warning them that she had not abandoned her perspective on the relationship between Tsukune and the three girls.

     “Thank you so much, Mr. Cooper, Mrs. Cooper,” Tsukune said, genuine appreciation in his voice. “For helping us carry our things out, and for taking care of us while we stayed here.  You’ve been so kind to us-”

     “Think nothing of it!” Roy Cooper interrupted enthusiastically. “We’ve been glad to have the visitors, and it’s always nice to have someone staying in this empty house.” Beside him, Wendy Cooper nodded in complete agreement. “Actually… if you all ever needed a place to stay for a while, I’m sure that…” Roy began, stammering slightly as he remembered that the house belonged, in actuality, to Yokai Academy.

     “Thank you,” Moka said, smiling brightly at the older man. “That means a lot to us.”

     “Yeah, we’d love to come back to visit you sometime,” Kurumu added, and Mizore nodded eagerly beside her.

     Mr. Cooper stood in silence for a moment after that remark, his eyes gleaming wetly.  Finally he stepped forward, enveloping Tsukune in a crushing hug.  Releasing the boy a moment later, he turned towards Moka, grasping each of them in turn with a tight embrace. “We’ll miss you all,” he managed, obviously struggling to keep his emotions in check.

     Trailing behind her husband, Mrs. Cooper also hugged Tsukune, her matronly hug considerably less painful, though no less affectionate. “Be good, Tsukune, and stay safe,” she whispered to him, pointedly glancing towards the recovering girls to drive home her meaning.  Tsukune nodded uncomfortably, returning her embrace.  Releasing him, Mrs. Cooper stepped towards Moka, her smile sharpening to an edge as she came.  The vampire paled, but stepped forward to accept the older woman’s hug.

     Moments later, the Coopers stepped away from the group, the sound of an approaching low rumble drew their attention down the hill that the Resting Place sat upon.  Making its way up the drive was a familiar bus, the vehicle that would carry them back to Yokai Academy.  As it neared, the group turned to their belongings, picking them up and preparing to load them onto the bus.

     “Would you like for me to get that box for you?” Mr. Cooper offered to Kurumu, motioning to a bulky crate with heavy clasps.  Kurumu glanced to it for a second before shaking her head a tad too energetically, laughing awkwardly.

     “Ah, no, no, I’ll get that one!” she responded, her voice carrying a slightly higher pitch as she recalled the contents of this box that her mother had brought her a week before. “I can manage it, thanks.”

     “If you’re sure,” Roy Cooper conceded, shrugging in confusion.

     With a shuddering screech, the bus halted beside the piles of luggage, the door swinging open to reveal the bus driver.  He stepped down from the vehicle, his eyes shining from the shadows cast by his cap.  He reached up to touch the brim of that hat in silent greeting, a wandering plume of smoke trailing skyward from the slowly-burning tip of his cigar. “Good to see you again, boy,” he offered Tsukune, his low voice making the welcome seem blatantly ominous.

     “I could say the same,” Tsukune commented as he reached down to pick up the nearest of the boxes, remembering that he had last seen the bus driver after their first battle against the wraith Thanatos.  He and the others had narrowly survived that battle, though Mizore had been lost to the wraith’s power for a while longer.  Despite their weakened state the bus driver had taken their other friends back to the academy, leaving him, Kurumu, and Moka alone to deal with Thanatos.  Afterwards, Tsukune had initially resented that forced abandonment, but he had come to realize that it was hardly anything unusual.  The Headmaster of Yokai Academy was fond of the ‘sink or swim’ mentality when it came to their survival, and it often felt as though it was the bus driver who dropped them into the deep water.

     After depositing the box on the bus, Tsukune turned back to claim another piece of luggage from the ground, but the bus driver drew close to him, slightly blocking his path. “Heh… I hope you’re not expecting a peaceful return to your day-to-day life.  Things are getting dangerous back at school, you know.”

     Tsukune froze at that, feeling familiar fear trickle back into his stomach as he pondered those words.  He glanced at the man, about to ask, but the words died at his lips; it would be pointless to ask someone who never gave a straight answer.  His eyes traveled past the bus driver, stopping on Moka, Kurumu, and Mizore as they each picked up more of the luggage.  His trepidation faded as he watched them, a slow smile lifting his lips, and he turned to meet the man’s gaze evenly. “Isn’t it always dangerous?  We’ll be alright.”

     “It looks like your time here has given you more confidence in yourself.” The bus driver chuckled darkly, bowing his head and stepping out of Tsukune’s path. “That’s good.”  Tsukune walked past him, moving to help the girls load the luggage, but still he heard the man’s low words: “…you’ll need it.”      

     Ignoring the shiver passing up his back, Tsukune hurried to the boxes, hefting two at once.  With his increased efforts, and the help of the Coopers, the luggage was soon loaded into the storage compartments.  Kurumu and Mizore were the first onto the bus after that, offering quick farewells to the Coopers before making their way towards the vehicle’s rear seat.  Tsukune hoped that Kurumu’s cry of “Hey!  I get to sit beside Tsukune first, remember?” didn’t reach the ears of Mrs. Cooper; thankfully, she seemed to be distracted by Moka, who was thanking her and her husband once more for their hospitality.  Tsukune stood beside Moka, echoing her sentiments, but his attention was soon drawn elsewhere, his eyes wandering to the house standing nearby.

     He had grown very attached to the Resting Place, and it pained him to think that it might be a long time before he saw it again, if ever.  After all, so much had happened while they had stayed at that house: he had realized the depth for his feelings for his three closest friends and had shared his first kiss with each of them, they had banded together to defeat an incredibly menacing monster, and he and the girls had finally come to a solution to the conflict that had threatened to tear them apart.  His life was so different from what it had been before they had arrived at this place, and he would carry pleasant memories of these past weeks for the rest of his life.  He had come to think of the Resting Place as a home, and hoped someday that they would be able to return, if just to celebrate how much it had brought them together.

     His emotions wetting his eyes, Tsukune forced himself to nod a farewell to the Resting Place before turning back to the Coopers.  His attention returned to the older couple just in time to hear Moka offer her gratitude one final time, bowing deeply to them.  Tsukune mirrored the motion, bumping against her slightly, accidently jarring free the bag she had held in her hands.

     “Oh!”  Moka stooped to hurriedly pick up the items that had spilled from the bag, essentials that she had wanted to keep close to hand on the bus.  Tsukune also knelt beside her, helping her to gather the handful of objects and replace them in the sack.

     “Sorry, Moka, I-” Tsukune paused as they both reached for the last of the items, his eyes widening as he recognized it.  He glanced furtively up at the Coopers, panic swelling as he noticed the expanding horror on Mrs. Cooper’s face, the livid blush darkening Mr. Cooper’s cheeks to the color of his hair.  Though it was far, far too late, Moka swiftly snatched the Belmont and stuffed it into the bag once more, standing and trying to decide between stammering out an explanation or merely fleeing.

     “Time to go,” the bus driver commented wryly, already on the stairs of the bus.

     Taking the suggestion to heart, Tsukune and Moka quickly moved to climb aboard the vehicle. “Goodbye!” they yelled, waving to the older couple who stood paralyzed by shock and embarrassment, the sight of the studded leather whip still burnt into their minds.  The door screeched closed behind Moka, and the lumbering bus jerked to life, beginning its trek back down the hill, away from the Resting Place and the Coopers.

     The bus was only partway towards the metal gates at the base of the hill when the shrill shouting started, but that was far enough.

 

******

 

     ‘This feels familiar,’ Tsukune thought to himself as the bus made its way down the mountain, only beginning its journey towards the supernatural tunnel that would bring them back to their school.  He glanced to either side, looking at the top of Kurumu’s head as she snuggled against his arm and then to Moka as she leaned against him, their fingers intertwined.  Fortunately, this time, at least, there had been less fighting over who got the seats beside him.  That had been settled the night before by drawing straws, the girls had explained, though they had promised to switch out seats mid-trip.  Moka, Kurumu had explained with obvious discontent, had won the draw, which meant she got to keep her place for the entire trip.  Tsukune assumed that was the reason behind the splintered straws he had found that morning, as well as the shouted oaths to never again use that method for choosing that he had heard the previous night; Moka had a tendency to win when they did, he deduced.

     A slight motion drew his attention forward, and he found Mizore gazing at him over the edge of the seat in front of him.  He offered her a smile, which she returned, but the happiness in her eyes faded somewhat as she looked to the other two girls. “We should enjoy that while we can,” she warned them, meeting Tsukune’s eyes once more. “We won’t get chances like this very often, when we get back to school.”

     Nodding solemnly in response to Mizore’s words, Tsukune couldn’t keep a slight frown from his face.  She was right; things would have to be different when they got back to Yokai Academy.  It had been something that they had largely avoided speaking about over the past few days, preferring instead to enjoy what little time they had left at the Resting Place.  And then, over dinner the previous evening…

     “ _We_ ’ _ll have to keep it a secret_.”

     _Tsukune and the other girls turned to Mizore_ , _blinking as they lowered the food they had taken up_. “ _What do you mean_?” _Kurumu demanded_ , _glancing to Tsukune with concern before staring at Mizore_. “ _That will never work_.”

     “ _She_ ’ _s right_ ,” _Moka commented_ , _not hiding the worried tension in her voice_. “ _Polygamy_ … _our situation isn_ ’ _t something that is widely accepted in the monster world_ , _and it_ ’ _s expressly forbidden in most of human society_.  _Can you imagine what would happen if the other students got word of this_?” 

     “ _Yeah_ , _I can_ ,” _Tsukune mused_ , _rubbing the back of his neck as muscles across his body tensed_ , _the memory of the beating he had received just before leaving Yokai Academy still fresh and painful_.  _The other students had not taken well to the news that he would be living with the three girls_ , _and a certain werewolf had fed the flames by spreading rumors that their exile was due to their relationships being too intimate_.  _Strangely_ , _that had come to be partially true_ , _but Tsukune was not eager to let any of them know that_ , _Gin least of all_.

     “ _Oh_ …” _Kurumu gasped_ , _her eyes widening_.  “ _Worse than that_.”  _The other three looked to her in surprise_ , _and she met their eyes before continuing_. “ _Think about Yukari_.”

     _If thinking about how close he had come to being thrashed to death by his fellow students had made Tsukune’s muscles tense_ , _thinking about the young witch_ ’ _s reaction to this news made them lock in sheer terror_.  _Yukari had long been the only outside supporter of his romance with Moka_ , _but her motivation was less than pure_ … _she had revealed that, by getting them together_ , _she would have a better chance at a romance with both of them simultaneously_.  _Her descriptions of such a relationship inevitably veered towards the carnal_ , _and she typically showed a startling understanding of such matters for one so youthful_.

     “ _All the more reason to keep it a secret_ ,” _Mizore concluded_ , _and the others had quickly nodded in complete agreement_. 

      ‘Still… will it be that easy?’ Tsukune wondered, glancing again to the girls resting their heads on his shoulders.  Over the past few days especially, they had gotten accustomed to sharing time alone, and Tsukune had greatly appreciated the chances for a few moments of comfortable intimacy.  Such would be all but impossible at the school, where there would be many more people watching them, some nearly as scary as Mrs. Cooper.

     “We’ll figure something out,” Kurumu declared stubbornly, pressing closer to Tsukune.

     “We’ll have chances every now and then.  We’ll just have to adjust,” Moka suggested, straightening in her seat and looking to Tsukune.  He smiled at her, grateful for her confidence, and squeezed her hand gently.

          “You know that I’ll always be able to find a way to be alone with you,” Mizore reassured him, drawing his attention back to her and sending a thrill that was only partially anxiety racing through him.

     Relaxing at last, Tsukune allowed himself to sink back against the seat.  Maybe things would work out better than he had feared.  He still regretted that they would have to hide things from Yukari and the others, but eventually they would be able to reveal the truth.  For now, they would have to do everything they could to keep those around them from discovering the reality of their situation, even if that meant acting like nothing had changed between them.   

     At the least, this meant that things would be back to normal soon… or, as close to normal as they ever were for his group.  With that thought in mind, Tsukune closed his eyes and enjoyed the presence of the girls around him, barely noticing as the miles rushed past.  


	3. The Four Return

**Chapter 3**

**_The Four Return_ **

“End of the line, boy.”

     Tsukune blinked as he heard the man’s low voice, breaking free of the clinging half-sleep that the bus’s droning progress had forced him into.  He shifted slightly, drawing a drowsily complaining moan from Mizore, who clutched all the tighter to his left arm.  To his right, Moka stretched her arms above her head, delicately avoiding Tsukune’s face with her elbow before straightening her arms with a quiet yawn.  Finally regaining some semblance of coherent thought, Tsukune stared ahead, noticing the glinting eyes reflected in the rearview mirror hanging at the front of the bus.  Just below that was the windshield, and beyond it was an all-too-familiar vista: the unnaturally curling cliff hanging high over the turbulent ocean, and just past that the indistinct form of Yokai Academy.  Even so distant, the looming edifice brought forth mixed feelings in Tsukune, a surge of anxiety, relief, fondness, and curiosity.  Had much changed while they had been gone?  Somehow he doubted it, but he wasn’t entirely certain whether or not that was a good thing.

     As Mizore finally relinquished her grip on his arm to rub at her eyes, Tsukune stood up, feeling his legs protest as he took a hesitant step forward.  He noticed that Kurumu had yet to move, her face pressed against the glass window of the seat in front of the one he had occupied with the other two girls.  Shaking her and restraining a slight smile at her confused snort, Tsukune motioned towards the front of the bus. “We’re back.”

     Moments later, the four teens stood outside the bus, unloading their luggage beside the gnarled tree near the edge of the cliff.  The bus driver watched them work, contentedly puffing on his cigar as he alternated between leering ominously at the group and staring off into the distance at the academy’s silhouette.  As Kurumu dropped another box onto the ground, she turned to face him after scanning the path leading towards the school. “Hey, do you have the time?” she asked suddenly.

     “It’s four o’clock,” he responded, chuckling. “Classes are out, if that’s what you’re wondering about.”

     “Oh,” Kurumu responded, the slight disappointment and confusion in her voice echoed on the faces of her friends as they lowered the final boxes to the ground.

     “If you’re curious why you’re not being welcomed back, it’s because your friends don’t think that you’ll be here until tomorrow,” the bus driver continued, being uncharacteristically informative. “I was supposed to pick up a few new transfers before I went after you, but I decided to get you first.” He shrugged, his smile growing. “I thought that you would have enough to deal with, with all the trouble on campus recently.”

     “Trouble?  What trouble-” Tsukune started, but his words died as the bus driver turned and began to climb the steps back onto the bus, his helpful attitude apparently spent. 

     “Do you think he meant those student groups that Yukari mentioned in her letter?” Moka suggested as the engine roared back to life, the bus already beginning to turn about to face the tunnel that would take it back to the human world.

     “Student groups?  What letter?” Mizore asked, confused.

     “Oh, yeah, you wouldn’t know about it,” Kurumu realized. “We got it when you were, ah…”

     “Thanatos.” Mizore concluded, her eyes gleaming as a chill wind gusted past the group.

     Nodding unhappily, Tsukune turned to explain. “She said that there were two student organizations that had been causing fights at school.  I can’t remember their names, but they both had something to do with whether or not monsters should get involved with humanity.”

     “Well, _I_ don’t see a problem with it,” Kurumu purred, leaning against Tsukune with a sly smile.

     “It’s not that surprising that it would be a big deal,” Moka added. “After all, the purpose of this school is to teach monsters how to fit into human society, but some students resent the notion that they have to hide their true natures so much.”

     “I found that out on the first day,” Tsukune grumbled, remembering the face of Saizo Komiya, a monstrel that he had unfortunately met more than once. ‘I wonder what happened to that guy?’ he thought off-handedly, faintly remembering his last battle against the menacing brute.

     “Well, it definitely has its drawbacks, but think about what would happen if humanity suddenly found out that monsters really exist,” Mizore pointed out. “After all, Hokuto tried to cause a war by doing just that.”

     Hearing Tsukune’s melancholy sigh at the mention of his former friend, Kurumu shot a bladed glare at the yuki-onna. “Enough about that!” she chimed energetically, reaching down to grip Tsukune’s hand. “We need to carry this stuff to the dorms, and since it’ll take more than one trip we should get started.”

     “I have all of mine.” Mizore smirked at Kurumu, shouldering one bag and holding her duffel in the opposite hand.  The succubus glowered at her, but her expression plummeted when she noticed that both Tsukune and Moka were likewise barely encumbered with the full extent of their luggage.  Those two exchanged a mischievous smile and started walking forward, Mizore taking a place beside them on the path to the school.

     “You’ll come back with me to get some of this, right, guys?” Kurumu pleaded, hastily swiping up a wobbling pile of boxes. “Tsukune, you’ll come with me, won’t you?  Moka?  You’re not going to make me do this alone, are you?  Right?”

     They weren’t far enough ahead to hide their laughter, and Kurumu chased after them, her voice carried over the cliff by the wandering wind.      

 

******

 

     They had almost reached the school when the sounds of raised voices reached them, the rapidly-shifting figures in the crowd ahead drawing their attention only a moment later.  Faint notions of their friends coming to greet them quickly died as they noticed that the crowd’s attention was directed inward, and the loud cries amidst the hubbub spoke more of fear and pain than excitement.  Sharing a concerned glance, the four friends increased their pace, hurrying to discover what lie at the heart of the tumult.

     The truth soon revealed itself as the mass of students standing around the core of the crowd scattered, leaving only the handful facing each other in the middle.  One of those students was likely the cause of the panic, towering several feet over the others as he shed all attempts at maintaining his human form.  Though this particular monster was not personally familiar to Tsukune, his race certainly was: the bulging muscles, exaggerated size, and curved spines running down the center of its back reminded Tsukune of the first time he had crossed a troll.  Much like that encounter with Chopper Rikishi, it was obvious that this troll’s anger had gotten the best of him: he was surrounded by craters that bespoke the occasions which those boulder-sized fists had missed their targets, and several still bodies which showed what happened when he did not miss.  As Tsukune and the others watched, the troll picked up another of the students facing him, flinging his arm to the side to launch the hapless boy after the fleeing spectators.

     “Filthy human lovers!  Traitors!” the troll bellowed, stomping forward towards those still facing him. “I’ll take you all on at once!”

     “Not good,” Mizore mumbled from beside Moka, already letting the strap of her duffel slide down her arm.

     “Should we get involved?” Moka asked, glancing to Tsukune.

     “We can’t just watch,” Tsukune murmured, anxiety on his face.  This would be trouble either way, but the troll’s words gave him pause.  Yukari had warned them, but had things already gotten this bad?

     “Alright, then, let’s go!” Kurumu declared, dropping her boxes to the ground with a satisfied smirk. “This shouldn’t take long.  I’ll-”

     “Oya, oya,” called a voice from beside the path, momentarily halting the troll’s building charge along with the advance of the girls and Tsukune. “What’s this?”

     As they watched, a single young man walked onto the path, stepping between the troll and those facing him.  Utterly unconcerned with the fact that he had strolled into the midst of a raging battle, the teen didn’t stop until he was directly between the rampaging monster and the other students, languidly looking from one side to the other.  Maybe it was his dissonant serenity that froze the combatants in place, or his strange, childlike smile, but instantly everyone around became silent spectators, curious as to what this odd person would do next.

     Tsukune blinked as he considered the young man.  At first glance, he was revealed to be a student of Yokai Academy, or so the uniform he wore would suggest, if not for the fact that it was all but entirely black as opposed to the typical green and khaki.  His face was not known to Tsukune, but he looked to be at least as old enough to be a sophomore.  It seemed odd that Tsukune couldn’t recognize him, as the teen certainly stood out from the other students: his dark red hair stood upright in short, uneven spikes, and his angled face carried that oblivious smile with practiced familiarity.  Also, the _bokken_ the teen carried was another unusual factor, the wooden sword something that would certainly bring down the wrath of most of the faculty should they see him carrying it.  After all, the only students Tsukune had ever seen armed like that had been- cold fear exploded in his gut, and Tsukune’s eyes opened wide as he thought back to others he had seen wearing black uniforms.

     “Crap, it’s the Enforcers!” shouted one of the combatants facing the troll, taking a step back as if preparing to flee.

     “Hey,” the young man in black said plaintively, glancing to the one who had spoken. “Don’t run away, alright?”

     Much like the tremor in the voice of the student who had declared the identity of the intruder, the troll’s face revealed a surge of panic as he stared down at the man before him.  Still, trolls were not known for their discretion; had research on the ‘fight-or-flight’ response been performed on that race, it would have featured one fewer option.  True to type, the fear on the troll’s face melted in the face of resurging rage.  Moving with a glacier’s inexorable gravity, the monster drew back his fist once more, his muscles tensing as he aimed his next attack at the black-clad interloper.  Despite the deep growl pouring from the troll’s throat, the Enforcer paid him no mind, still staring a challenge at the student who had started to call for a retreat.

     “Look out!” Tsukune and his friends shouted, fearing it was too late for the man in the middle to dodge the powerful attack already hurtling towards his body.

     Even with their warning, the red-haired student made no move to flee.  He didn’t even glance towards the troll, though he did angle his body somewhat in that direction, turning his right arm towards the monster and holding the _bokken_ between them.  This did nothing to allay the fear that the watching four felt; such a small wooden sword couldn’t stop-

     “Ugh,” the troll grunted, his eyes wide and shaking as he stared down at his fist.  A thin rivulet of dark blood sprouted between his knuckles, tracing a path towards the earth beside the unyielding dull blade.  Caught with his arm still extended, the troll gaped at the tip of the _bokken_ still standing upright before his hand, obviously befuddled by its perseverance. 

     “ _Oya_ ,” the Enforcer uttered, the nonsense word now carrying with it a tide of black menace.  He slowly turned his head towards the troll, his smile not wavering.  Though Tsukune couldn’t see his expression as the man in black faced the troll, the terror that monster wore told him enough.

     Once again, the troll had only one response left to him.  His other fist fell back with surprising haste, a guttural roar shaking the earth as he launched his left hand towards his opponent.  That attack instantly proved insufficient, however: the Enforcer had already moved, standing just before him, the tip of the _bokken_ ripping up a cloud of dust as it kissed the ground before rising skyward, pressing against the troll’s ribs for a sharp split second…

     The furious roar gave way to a yell of agony as the hulking behemoth was lifted from his feet in a sickening cacophony of pops, his thick ribs giving way to the touch of the dull blade before he was thrown backwards.  A moment passed before he found the ground once more, collapsing to the earth and sliding back.  As he came to a rest, the troll showed no further sign of movement, and a low groan of pain suggested that he would not be rising for some time.

     “Nice,” the Enforcer mumbled, still staring at the crumbled form.  He straightened from his crouched stance, bringing his wooden blade back down to his side. “I needed that.”

     This was more than enough to convince the other students that had been involved in the fight that it was time to make their exit.  Without a word, they turned towards Tsukune and the others, only to find another black-clad form stepping towards them from the side of the path.  This figure also seemed unconcerned with the carnage, casually ambling towards them, her hips swaying gracefully with every step.  While this newcomer also wore a monochromatic version of the typical student uniform, hers was far less effective at covering her form: a lazy neckline plummeted downward, revealing twin pale expanses with a shadowed crevice between, while her checkered skirt seemed to have been made for someone with much less leg.  Smoothly brushing her long black hair away from her face, she pursed her lips softly at the fleeing combatants, shaking her head lightly in teasing reproach. “Leaving so soon?” she purred, effortlessly ensnaring them with a single glance from her dark eyes. “Why don’t you stay for a moment?  I would enjoy the company.”

     Her seductive smile faded into an irritated grimace as another figure burst onto the scene, a wheezing gasp preceding him as he heavily jogged from the sidelines towards the fallen bodies.  Like the others, this person also wore the black uniform, though his outfit was completed with a wide-brimmed hat and a thick bag decorated with a crimson cross. “S-sorry,” he apologized distractedly as he accidently trod upon one of the limp forms, fumbling with the bag at his waist. “I’ll see to you in a moment, just let me…” His voice trailed off as he looked around at the bodies, searching for the most wounded through the thick glasses he wore perched upon his rounded nose.  Snorting in undisguised contempt, the female Enforcer turned her attention back to the still-captivated handful of combatants, smiling silkily once more.

     “Now, where were we?” she breathed, drawing close to them. “Ah, yes; you were just about to volunteer to turn yourselves in for fighting on school grounds, right?” The slack-jawed nods the students offered her made her smile spread coyly across her face. “I had thought so.”

     “What is going on here?” Tsukune mumbled from his position a short distance away, shocked by everything he had witnessed.

     “Those uniforms they’re wearing… they’re not the same, but they remind me of what Kuyo’s Enforcers wore,” Kurumu murmured, frowning as she remembered their group’s earlier clash with the corrupt student police and their Yoko commander.

     “The Student Protection Committee?” Mizore asked, recalling the stories her friends had told her of that particular battle. “Weren’t they disbanded?”

     “As a matter of fact, yes,” offered a smooth voice from behind the four.  They turned to glance behind them, shocked to discover another person walking along the path towards the fight. “However, in light of recent… problems, the administration has seen fit to resurrect it, with certain restraints to ensure it won’t fall to the same corruption as last time.”  The speaker drew nearer to Tsukune and the others, a faint smile on his face as he looked over each of them in turn. “Now, forgive my brusqueness, but you are…?” His voice was polite, measured, but unyieldingly insistent.

     Despite the simplicity of the other student’s question, it took Tsukune and his friends several moments to respond, each of them gaping at the face at the person who had spoken to them.  There were details that were sufficiently different: the slightly longer hair, the duskier skin, the dark grey eyes, the Enforcer uniform.  Beyond those, however, the young man that had walked up to them was nearly a perfect reflection of Tsukune, a copy that would give pride to a doppelganger.

     “You are?” the man with Tsukune’s face asked again, his odd smile refusing to waver.

     “Oh!  Sorry,” Tsukune blurted, remembering himself. “I’m Tsukune Aono, and these are my friends,” he motioned towards the three girls, “Moka Akashiya, Mizore Shirayuki, and Kurumu Kurono.”

     “It’s good to meet you.” The other teen bowed the slightest margin, his eyes not leaving them for a moment. “Are you new students here?  I had heard that we were to have some new arrivals, but if you know about the incident with the former Protection Committee…”

     “No, we’ve all been enrolled here for over a year now.  We’re coming back from… a special assignment for the Headmaster,” Moka explained awkwardly. “We’ve been gone for a few weeks.”

     “Ah, I see.  That would explain why you wouldn’t know about our organization getting started again.”  The young man in the black uniform nodded, motioning past them towards the other three Enforcers. “In dangerous times like these, it’s always good to know where you can turn for help.”  His smile grew friendlier, but lost some of that warmth as he glanced past the four.

     “Hey, boss, didja see that?” asked one enthusiastic voice from behind Moka, drawing the group’s attention back in the direction of the former battlefield.  They discovered that the other three Enforcers had walked away from the scene of the trouble.  Behind them, several students limped towards the distant school, at least one of them bearing a messy bandage around his temple.  The students that the female Enforcer had stopped mid-flight were gathered around the fallen troll, struggling to raise his massive arms over their shoulders as they fought to lift him enough to drag his still form to the academy’s medical facilities. “He was a big one!” the red-haired Enforcer crowed, grinning viciously.

     “The rest of them have decided to turn themselves in, after my chat with them,” the girl commented, smirking triumphantly.

     “No one was seriously wounded… except for the troll.  It’ll take those ribs a while to heal,” reported the Enforcer with the glasses and the hat. “If Ken had restrained himself a little more-”

     “Shut it, Russ,” the redhead snapped, shoving his shoulder.  The medic reached up to that shoulder, rubbing it tenderly as he pointedly looked away from the other teen, sulking silently.

     “Ah, a perfect opportunity.  Allow me to introduce the other members of the Student Protection Committee.” The young man with Tsukune’s features motioned towards the trio, pointing directly to the redhead. “This is my right hand, Ken Takeda.”

     The teen with the _bokken_ touched his brow in a mocking salute. “Heya,” he said lightly, his eyes scanning over Tsukune and the others.

     “This is our diplomatic officer, Elizabeth Tanner,” continued the nearest Enforcer.  The girl beamed at the introduction, her gaze flitting over the girls before locking on Tsukune.

     “A pleasure,” she purred, her eyes wandering over Tsukune hungrily.  Beside him, Kurumu growled quietly, taking her own measure of the other woman.  Elizabeth’s angled features looked to be foreign, perhaps European, and she had black hair and pale skin, much of which was exposed by her abbreviated uniform.  Another deviation from the apparel worn by the other three caught Kurumu’s eye: a silver chain Elizabeth wore wrapped around her waist as a belt, both ends of which ended at a fist-sized ornate sphere that hung from her left side.  As Kurumu inspected her, the girl shifted her weight onto one leg, letting her chest protrude slightly; sharp suspicion driving her, Kurumu glanced to the side to find that Tsukune had indeed noticed, and elbowed him roughly to end his staring.

     “And finally, our medic, Russell Fleming.” The pudgy Enforcer with the thick glasses nodded at that, reaching up to lift his hat as he bowed weakly, the mixed motion only succeeding in hiding his face for a brief moment.  As he straightened, he refused to meet the eyes of Tsukune and the others, his pasty skin damp with a faint sheen of sweat. 

     “N-nice to meet you,” he offered lamely, drawing an amused smirk from Elizabeth.

     This time, it was Moka who introduced herself and her friends to the trio, giving Tsukune a chance to glance back towards the fourth Enforcer.  That man caught his gaze and nodded, stepping forward after Moka was finished. “Forgive me,” he said smoothly. “I forgot to name myself.  I am Mikoto Kurono, leader of the Student Protection Committee.” 

     “Kurono?” Moka asked, glancing over at Kurumu, who could only shrug.

     “Pardon me for asking, but are you new to Yokai Academy yourself?  I don’t remember seeing you here before,” Mizore inquired, her eyes narrowed.

     “I transferred here at the beginning of this year, actually,” Mikoto answered, glancing to Tsukune.  As his eyes met Mikoto’s, Tsukune felt a sharp pain in his head which immediately faded.  Now that he thought about it, he thought he could remember someone saying something about a person resembling him at school, but… Wincing, Tsukune reached up to rub his temple, trying to massage away the feeling of pressure in his skull.  He would think about it later, he assured himself, when he felt better.

     “I ask your forgiveness, but we’ll need to file a report about this incident with the administration.  We’ll take our leave for now; stay safe, and come directly to us if you find any trouble.”  Mikoto stepped past Tsukune and the others, but he paused before he reached the other Enforcers. “It’s been nice meeting you,” he said, glancing back, his smile lifting one side of his lips sharply. “See you around, Tsukune.”  And then he walked on, the other Enforcers falling in behind him, Ken waving jauntily over one shoulder.

     The four friends watched the Enforcers leave, waiting a long moment before turning to each other. “Even if they are helping to keep down the trouble here, I can’t say I’m glad to see black uniforms again,” Moka offered softly, frowning.

     “They have to be better than Kuyo and his thugs,” Kurumu suggested, shivering as she remembered the brutal spirit fox and how close he had come to wiping out the Newspaper Club.

     Mizore glanced again towards the receding forms. “What I’m curious about is their leader.  Why does he look like Tsukune?  The resemblance is uncanny.”  All three girls looked directly to Tsukune, who could only shrug in confused helplessness.

     “It looks like things have changed more than we expected,” Tsukune suggested, shaking his head. “We’d better catch up with Yukari and the others and see if they can help us sort this out.”  The girls nodded to this, and they all turned back towards Yokai Academy, confusion and anxiety adding extra haste to their progress.

     Knowing their luck, Tsukune mused, this would only be the beginning of their trouble.  It wasn’t the welcome he had wanted, but it was probably the only sort he should have expected.  Despite his concerns, though, he felt an odd sort of exhilaration and curiosity, a desire to know what was happening and to see if he could help.

     In a way… it was good to be back.


	4. Reunion

**Chapter 4**

**_Reunion_ **

 

     “You know what?  I kinda like this place.”

     High in the hills overlooking Yokai Academy, the four teens stopped at what had become their usual hangout, three of them moving to take seats on the weathered stones while the fourth leaned against the gnarled, leafless tree that silently watched over the gently-curving knoll.  The girl paused to irritably swipe at the top of the nearest waist-high stone, hopelessly trying to dust it free of clinging lichen before huffing and taking her seat atop it anyways.  Beside her, the redhead hopped easily onto his, waving his arms and laughing as he fought to keep his balance atop the sloping rock, while the second boy plopped heavily down onto the ground before another such stone a fair distance away from the others.  Behind them, the final member of their group reclined against the tree, watching them with a faint smirk before glancing out across the hillside with a more genuine smile.  He had always enjoyed places like this; graveyards had a certain appeal to them that struck him as fitting.

     Mikoto Kurono was somewhat surprised at how well he and the others had acclimated to their new home and identities.  When he had announced to the other three his intention to infiltrate Yokai Academy, he had expected to have to force them to comply; instead, they had taken to the suggestion with odd eagerness.  Elizabeth had even referred to it as a ‘vacation,’ an idea that had drawn more than a few laughs from the others.  Mikoto, at least, enjoyed the irony: while the servants of the Hell-King scurried about, searching for any sign of Death and his generals, they were right under their noses, infecting the student body the Hell-King so cherished.

     “The school?” Elizabeth asked, somehow managing to lounge atop the narrow surface of the headstone.  Shrugging indifferently, she glanced down towards the remote buildings. “It makes one feel younger, at least.”

     “It should make you feel older, considering how long you’ve been-” began Russell, his words dying with a quiet squeak when he noticed the deadly glare the girl was directing towards him.

     “I mean, these kids were clawin’ at each other before we even got here!  One good push, and this whole place can go up in flames,” continued the red-head, ignoring the other two as he grinned up at the sky. “I can hardly wait to give ‘em a little encouragement and watch the fireworks.”

     “But you will wait, right, Ken?” suggested a firm, quiet voice from the shadow of the tree.  The other three Enforcers pivoted to look over at their leader, their mirth fading as they noted the serious expression he wore. “You wouldn’t do anything stupid and mess up our plans, right?”

     “Naw, naw, of course not!” the red-headed Enforcer insisted, all but instantly regaining his relaxed smile. “It’s more satisfying when it builds slow like this.”

     “Good,” commented Mikoto, relaxing back against the tree once more.  As silence fell over the four, he turned to stare back at the school with an inscrutable expression, not bothering to look away when one of his subordinates cleared his throat.

     “Though, ah… that does leave the question,” started Russell with a fumbling delicacy, “why are we here in the first place?  Does it have something to do with that boy that looked-”

     “Of course not,” interrupted Mikoto, glancing towards the other man. “It’s our new ‘allies’ that are interested in him.  Which is why, I should remind you, he is off limits.” At this, he looked to each of the others in turn, waiting for them to nod before moving on.

     “I won’t do a thing to hurt him, I promise.  But what about the girls?” Elizabeth asked casually, inspecting her nails with a feigned disinterest.

     “Do as you will,” Mikoto acquiesced, chuckling once.

     “They didn’t look too tough,” Ken complained. “You can mess with ‘em, Lizzie.”

     “Don’t call me that!” she snapped. “It doesn’t sound… dignified.”  She had taken this name several times over the long course of her existence, and felt comfortable with it, if not its truncated version.

     “Sure thing, Lizzie.” Ken glanced away with an edged grin as she glowered at him, rescued only when Russell offered a laugh of his own that quickly drew her ire back towards him.

     “No, we’re here for something else.  It seems that the head of that school found some old possessions of ours, including a few that are still of interest.  Particularly…” He paused, waiting until he was certain that he had the attention of each member of the trio. “A certain banner.”

     “The Fatal Standard,” Russell whispered, surprised, and Ken whistled low under his breath.  Recognition was immediate for each of the Enforcers.  They could well remember the banner that had flown at the front of their forces, long, long ago, as well as the powers it contained.  In the right hands, it was a potent artifact, capable of bending the wills of lesser monsters and humans to the command of its master.  Of course, it had been lost since their final battle together, but regaining possession of it would go a long way towards helping them reform their armies.

     “It would be nice to have that back,” Elizabeth commented, undisguised desire in her voice.

     “Yeah, and we’d have a ready-made army at our fingertips,” Ken added, jerking a thumb towards the school. “Those that live that long, anyways.”

     Only one of the group was silent, his brow deeply furrowed under his hat.  Finally he raised his head, looking directly at the man standing against the tree. “But… you made it, right?  You could just make another one.  Or, couldn’t we just fight our way in and take it?  I don’t see the point in…” His words trailed off as he noticed the stare Mikoto had leveled towards him, complete with an expression that was smile in name only.

     “I could,” Mikoto admitted, his voice calming as if he spoke to a particularly slow child. “But that wouldn’t go very far towards helping us forge an alliance with Fairy Tail, now would it?”

     “Do we really need them?” Russell asked, but his voice was far too low for the others to hear.  Mikoto still watched him, and the glint in those eyes forced Russell into a sullen silence.

     “Yeah, those guys sound like they’ll make pretty good lackeys,” commented Elizabeth. “They want the same thing we do, mostly.”

     “Except they wouldn’t be too thrilled to find out that we’ll kill them too,” Ken quipped, unconsciously reaching back to touch the hilt of his _bokken_.

     “All things in time,” Mikoto said sternly, pushing away from the tree.  He walked forward, moving to make his way back down the hill.  He didn’t pause as he passed Russell, only glanced down at the other man to underscore his words. “Entertain yourselves; I’m going to go have a chat with our friend Sammael about our new ‘ally’ inside the school.”  The others murmured their farewells as he departed, watching quietly as he descended until the shadowed treeline at the base of the hill hid him from view.

     “I can’t believe he’s back,” mused Ken, wearing a decaying smile.  He glanced over at Elizabeth, turmoil burning in his eyes.  “Hey, you don’t think he remembers about… do you?”

     “Of course not,” she huffed, glaring at the redhead. “We wouldn’t be here if he did.” She quickly pivoted, spearing the other member of their group with a glare. “And you won’t be reminding him, right?  You had a hand in what happened too.”

     “I won’t tell him,” Russell surrendered, paling under the shade of his hat. “We’re all better off if he just doesn’t think about it at all.” A faltering smile crept onto his face despite the eyes focused upon him. “You might have nearly destroyed him once, but I don’t think it would go so well this time.”

     “Let’s just make sure it doesn’t come to that,” Elizabeth insisted, shaking her head and looking in the direction Mikoto had gone. “As long as we stay quiet and keep him focused on his schemes, that can stay a secret, all right?” When the other two Enforcers nodded, she turned her attention to the sky, watching as the sun fell towards the horizon. “It’ll be just like old times.”

     That phrase drew chuckles from the two men on either side of her, but bitterness tainted one of them.  Russell still stared in the direction their master had gone, his mind racing as he considered their situation.  At the moment, he knew, there was nothing they could do but follow.  As long as they were obedient, then perhaps old sins could be forgiven.  If not, then it would be better to delay any direct conflict until he could be certain of a way to escape. 

     After all, it was always better to have Death as an ally.  The opposite was too horrible to consider.

 

******

 

     “Kurumu, the next time we take a trip, pack light.  _Please_.”

     Beside Mizore, the blue-haired succubus chuckled self-consciously, carefully shifting the stack of boxes she was hefting as the four friends made their way around the face of the academy’s main building towards the row of dorms. “In my defense,” she started casually, edging away from Moka, “I actually cut down how much I was going to bring.  So, really, this _is_ light, in a way.”

     “Next time, I’m helping you pack,” Mizore promised ominously from behind Kurumu, and the only answer was another ambiguous laugh. 

     Despite their earlier teasing evasiveness, Moka and Mizore had both agreed to help Kurumu and Tsukune carry the succubus’s belongings to her dorm room, deciding to make the trip back to the bus’s drop-off point to claim what was left before they went to find Yukari and Kokoa.  As eager as they were to reunite with the rest of the Newspaper Club, Kurumu had been worried about leaving her belongings out in the open, especially the heavy crate that Tsukune was carrying.  The others had quickly agreed when they realized it would give them a chance to discuss their earlier encounter with the new Student Protection Committee, though that conversation had hardly proven productive.

     Walking beside the others, Tsukune was still musing over that topic, unnerved more than he would admit by the appearance of the Enforcers’ leader.  He felt like he had seen that face before, beyond the times he had looked into a mirror.  The girls had likewise seemed disturbed by Mikoto Kurono; even Mizore’s quip that the other girls should pursue him and leave Tsukune to her had fallen painfully flat as her friends shivered in obvious disquiet.

     Kurumu had also offered few answers about his surname, claiming that she knew of no ‘Mikoto’s in her family tree, though she intended to ask her mother about that the next time they spoke.  That discussion had prompted a different sort of curiosity in Tsukune, who had taken the opportunity to ask her about something he had long wondered about. “Incubi?” Kurumu had responded, blinking in surprise. “Well, yeah, they exist, but… they’re really rare.  I don’t think I’ve ever met one, and when I asked Mom about them…” She had winced at the memory. “For some reason, that topic always puts her in a bad mood, so I try to avoid it.”

     And so the mysteries had multiplied, leaving the group more befuddled with every moment.  Finally they arrived at the girls’ dorms, Tsukune sweating nervously as he followed his friends towards Kurumu’s room.  The succubus had not helped matters by emphasizing the directions to her door, complete with less-than-subtle suggestion that he might need to know how to find it if he got lonely.  With the atmosphere already primed for conflict, once they arrived he had wisely deposited the crate in the room and stepped back outside, weathering the odd glances from the girls in the halls outside instead of risking an argument by staying too long in Kurumu’s room.  His other visit there had not ended well, back when she had accidentally charmed him, though perhaps in the future-  He quickly quashed that thought, though not soon enough to keep the color from rising in his cheeks.

     Tsukune was glad when the girls exited the room, ready to make their way to the clubroom for their reunion with their other friends.  Kurumu lingered behind to lock the door, and he waited for her as the other two moved towards the stairs. “You know, Tsukune,” she whispered shyly, offering him a secretive smile, “my offer was genuine.”  He could only nod in response, realizing once more how much trouble he would find himself in eventually and only halfway regretting it.

     Even though Moka had definitely not heard Kurumu’s quiet invitation, she still took the opportunity to remind them of the importance of secrecy as they walked towards the school’s main building. “Remember, we can’t let Yukari or the others find out,” she stated, looking to each of them in turn. “We’ll have to act like nothing’s changed, at least for the time being.”

     “That’s fine by me,” Mizore commented, surprising the others.  Tsukune in particular was shocked, but that was likely due to the soft caress across his lower back as she walked closer to him. “I’m good at hiding things,” she pointed out, a playful light in her blue eyes as she glanced up at him.

     “Hey,” Kurumu started a moment later, suspicion heavy in her voice. “Wait one second.  Doesn’t that give you an advantage, Moka?  I mean, even before the whole thing with Mori Retsu you and Tsukune were close, always making eyes at each other and sneaking off so you could drink his blood.  If we act like nothing’s changed, then you’ll still get to act that way with him.  How’s that fair?”  The vampire said nothing in response, looking off to the side with a mischievous smile, the tip of her tongue sticking playfully out the side of her lips.

     “It’s just for now,” Tsukune insisted, trying to defuse the fight before it could get underway. “Eventually, we’ll figure out a way to tell them, but for now…” Kurumu was unfazed, crossing her arms under her chest and glaring at her rival, while Moka grinned over to Tsukune.  A sudden pinch brought a hitch to his steps, and he glanced back to Mizore, who innocently refused to meet his eyes as she pulled the sucker from her mouth and gave it a satisfied lick, utterly ignoring his furious blush.

     Secrecy?  This was never going to work.  Tsukune sighed, already wondering when it would all come crashing down like a house of cards.  At least until then, it would always be interesting… He laughed to himself as Kurumu and Moka continued squabbling and Mizore walked smirking behind him, resolving himself to face the chaos with a smile.

 

*****

 

     “We’re never going to get this done in time.  You know that, right?”

     Kokoa leaned back in her seat, giving the spread of paper before her a contemptuous glower before looking over at the desk at the far end of the clubroom.  The seat at that desk was empty, their leader having wandered off hours ago in pursuit of a ‘scoop.’  In pursuit of a skirt, more like, the young vampire groused, shaking her head.  Just like that undependable upperclassman to hoist all of the real work onto them while he slacked off.

     “We certainly won’t if you don’t help me work on it,” Yukari grumbled, carefully trying to arrange a clipped block of text onto the page before her.  Since Tsukune and the others had been sent to the human world, she and Kokoa had been forced to take on more responsibilities in order to get even their shortened version of the paper ready for printing.  This particular issue was all but complete, but hopefully their friends would arrive in time to help them put the finishing touches on it.  The young witch glanced over the page, frowning to herself as she considered their content.  They hadn’t even touched the real issue on campus, but that could hardly be helped until-

     “Wow, it looks like they have everything under control.  Maybe we should have stayed a few extra days after all!”

     Both Yukari and Kokoa froze at the sound of the voice.  Kokoa’s widening eyes were confirmation enough for Yukari, who pivoted in her chair to face towards the door, gaping at Kurumu as her other friends filed into the room, broad smiles on their faces.  For a long moment of shocked silence, the two youngest members of the Newspaper Club stared at the newcomers, struggling to understand why they were there a day earlier than expected.  And then…

     “Moka!  Tsukune!”

     “Sis!”

     “Wow, makes you feel appreciated, doesn’t it?” Kurumu grumbled over to Mizore, who rolled her eyes.  Beside them, Moka was recovering from the dual tackle-hugs (Kokoa’s being perhaps slightly more tackle than hug), trying to fend off her younger sister’s pawing attempts to take off her rosario as Yukari struggled to cling to her and Tsukune at the same time.  Despite their reactions, both Kurumu and Mizore watched them fondly, pleased to be back together with the rest of their group at last.

     “I missed you so much!” Yukari squealed, a blissful smile on her face as it pressed against Moka’s chest. “We only got to see you for a few minutes, and we were busy fighting that creepy shadow monster, and you’ve been gone for weeks!”  She relinquished her grip on the vampire, but the dark shadow over her expression and her menacing chuckle did little to relieve Moka. “I won’t let them take you away from me this time.  I’ve got handcuffs, two pairs; one for you and me, and one for me and Tsukune.” 

     “Where did she get handcuffs?” Mizore asked Kurumu bemusedly.  
     “Who knows?” the succubus shrugged. “Anyways, I bet they’re not as nice as the fuzzy ones Mom left for-  Ah.”  She silenced herself, refusing to meet Mizore’s cold stare.  Looking towards Moka proved equally problematic, as it seemed that despite Kokoa and Yukari’s enthusiasm the vampire had also heard her words, directing a similar flat glare at her friend.

     “Anyways, it’s about time you guys got here!  We’ve been swamped with work, and that mutt of an upperclassman has been making the two of us do all of it!” Kokoa huffed, stepping back from her sister, her momentary lapse in composure hidden behind her usual disdain.

     “Sorry, Kokoa,” Moka apologized. “We really didn’t have any choice.”

     “See how it is, Mizore?” Kurumu commented, shaking her head. “They just missed us because they wanted someone to share the work with.”

     “Of course not,” a low voice offered from behind the succubus, making her and Mizore pivot towards the door. “After all, I’ve been deprived of the joys of seeing your beautiful faces for these past weeks.  It’s been absolute torment, being separated from you all.”  Smoothing back his hair with his left hand, Gin offered them a brilliant smile, the very image of a charming gentleman… if one ignored the hand that had risen to grasp Kurumu’s left breast.

     Kurumu’s shocked expression quickly faded into a simmering anger, but despite his famed speed Gin was slow to release her chest, his fingers still twitching in a grope.  That delay gave her time enough to pull her right fist back and drive it forcefully into his gut, a barking cough erupting from the werewolf’s throat as he doubled over. “Pervert,” Kurumu growled, still digging her fist into his stomach.

     “It’s good to see you too, Gin,” Tsukune commented wryly as he stepped up to the older teen, reach out to grip his shoulder to keep him from falling forward as Kurumu drew back.  He offered the upperclassman a bright smile that revealed his teeth, and his fingers tightened painfully on Gin’s shoulder, pulling him away from Kurumu and Mizore.  It was only when Gin glanced up at him that Tsukune realized what he was feeling, the emotion that had flared the second he had seen what the werewolf was doing to Kurumu.  Was he really… jealous? 

     “Actually, I’m lying,” Gin admitted, straightening with only a faint wince.  He grinned at the returning four. “Mostly, I’m just glad to have you back since we needed the help getting the paper back up to speed.  Now that you’re here…” An ominous gleam blazed in his eyes, sending shivers racing over Tsukune and the others. “I’m not going to let you leave until we’re done.”

     “I think I preferred his smooth talking,” Mizore said, sighing deeply.

     “Have things really been that bad while we’ve been gone?” Moka asked, looking over to the work they had interrupted.

     “You could say that,” Yukari admitted.

     “…slave driver…” Kokoa mumbled, glowering at Gin.

     “The big news is the fighting going on between two new student groups, but we haven’t been able to find out much about them other than the propaganda they’ve been spreading,” the witch continued, subtly trying to shush Kokoa. “We’ve been too busy to look for leads, and the Student Protection Committee has discouraged anyone else from getting involved as they pursue their own investigation.”

     “Those guys…” Tsukune said, thinking back to the four they had encountered.  He blinked, looking over to Gin as he remembered the problems the upperclassman had had with the previous incarnation of the Enforcers.  As he had expected, Gin’s face was carefully blank, only the tightness around his eyes and mouth revealing the tension he was feeling.

     “The smart thing would be to let them handle this,” Gin admitted offhandedly, looking away from the others.

     “But we’ve never been that kind of smart, have we?” Kurumu chuckled.

     “If the trouble is that bad, we should at least look into it and see if we can help.” Moka looked to her other friends, who nodded in response.

     “Sitting around here has been boring.  I want to see some action,” Kokoa said, cracking her knuckles with a hungry grin.

     Gin waited a long moment before speaking, looking to each of them.  Only after he found the same sort of determination on all of their faces did he allow a slight smile to take his own lips. “It sounds like there’s nothing I can do to convince you to stay out of this,” he concluded without bothering to try, “but at least let me offer you a few… suggestions about how we could go about this.  After all, someone has to keep you kids in line.”  Gin walked over to his desk at the front of the clubroom, leaning over it and placing both hands on its surface as he smirked eagerly at the others. 

     The other members of the Newspaper Club exchanged smiles before cheering, excited by the prospects of a new adventure.  Gin let them celebrate for several moments before his expression fell into a commanding scowl. “Of course, we can only do that after this issue is finished.  So… get to work!” he barked, surprising the others into silence.

     Smiling as they grumbled under their breath, the members of the Newspaper Club took their seats around the spread of paper Yukari and Kokoa had been toiling on, quickly falling into the work with practiced familiarity.  They would have this finished in no time, they thought, but it was the anticipation of their next project that drove them onwards.  Tsukune and the girls had been away for too long, and even Tsukune would be forced to admit that it was nice to know that things hadn’t changed that much in their absence.  Sure, there was fighting on campus, and students running wild… but was that really so different than any other time?

     And so the hours quickly faded, lost as the group enjoyed being reunited at last.


End file.
